30 Days With Mr Billionaire

CHAPTER 4: 30 DAYS CONTRACT

(Ayla's POV)

I climbed out of the taxi and just stared at this massive mansion looming in front of me.

"Hey lady, you gonna pay me or what?" The driver was getting impatient.

"Oh s**t, sorry!" I fumbled around in my purse and handed him whatever bills I could find.

Probably tipped him way more than I should have, but whatever.

Walking up to the entrance was like approaching some kind of fortress.

My ankle still hurt like hell from the accident earlier, but I tried not to limp too obviously.

I desperately needed this job. We were basically broke, and Dad's medical bills weren't going to pay themselves.

Once they let me inside, I nearly choked on my own spit.

The place was absolutely insane.

They were enormous crystal chandeliers throwing golden light everywhere, people in designer everything sipping champagne that probably cost more than my rent.

You could practically smell the money and class in the air.

I clutched my cheap silver purse tighter. "Don't screw this up, Ayla," I whispered to myself, scanning the crowd for Mr. Anthony.

Just then I caught a familiar figure.

Oh, you've got to be kidding me.

It was him, the guy from the hospital who almost ran me over and acted like I was the problem.

He was walking majestically towards me looking like a movie star in his dashing black tuxedo.

"Seriously? You again?" I blurted out. "What are you doing here? Are you stalking me or what?"

He simply laughed. "Could ask you the same thing."

I crossed my arms, trying to look tough even though he towered over me.

"Look, if you're here to apologize for almost running me over, don't bother. I've got actual business to do tonight."

His dark eyes were sparkling with amusement, which just pissed me off more.

"What brings you here anyway? Shouldn't you be home with an ice pack on that ankle?"

I rolled my eyes so hard I probably damaged something. "Not that it's any of your business, but I'm meeting Mr. Ethan Drayes. Real business. So buzz off."

"Miss Marco!"

Thank goodness. Anthony's voice cut through the awkwardness.

"So glad you made it." He walked up and gestured to Mr. Arrogant standing next to me.

"Mr. Drayes, meet Miss Ayla Marco, the expert I told you about. Miss Marco, this is Mr. Ethan Drayes."

The world stopped spinning.

What the actual hell?

I turned to stare at him, my heart beating so hard I thought it might explode.

"Wait. You're telling me this guy is Mr. Ethan Drayes?"

Anthony nodded like this was perfectly normal and not the end of my entire world.

My mouth opened but nothing came out.

I wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear forever.

This was the guy who was supposed to save my career? The one I'd just called a jerk to his face?

I'm really screwed.

"So you're the antiquities expert Anthony told me about," he said, way too calm for someone who I had repeatedly scorned.

I swallowed hard. "I..no..I mean yes. That's me. Nice to meet you, Mr. Drayes."

I stuck out my hand, which was shaking like a leaf. "I am so, so sorry about earlier, I wasn't really myself."

"Don't be. It's refreshing, actually. Not many people are brave enough to speak their minds to me," he said, shaking my hand.

His grip was warm and firm, and I tried not to think about how it made my skin tingle.

I winced. "I've completely blown this, haven't I?"

"The night's still young," he said with a slight smile.

Before I could figure out what that meant, this incredibly well-dressed guy came walking over like he owned the place.

"Ethan! There you are. Hiding from your own party?"

"Rowan. I wasn't exactly hiding," Ethan replied, and I could hear the genuine warmth in his voice.

"Well, you're doing a hell of a job at it. This party is incredible, by the way. You've really outdone yourself, as usual."

And they both chuckled. Ethan then turned to me.

"This is Mr. Rowan Hills," Ethan said casually. "CEO of Hillcrest International."

My knees nearly buckled. The Rowan Hills of Hillcrest International?

The popular billionaire from Forbes? He was younger and more handsome than I imagined.

"Rowan, meet Miss..." He paused.

"Ayla Marco," I said quickly, sticking out my hand and trying not to fangirl all over the place.

"Ms. Marco, a pleasure," Rowan smiled warmly.

"I'm a huge fan of your archaeological work," I managed to say without sounding like a complete i***t.

"Actually," Ethan cut in, "Miss Marco is the reason I asked you to be here tonight."

My stomach dropped through the floor. This was it.

He was gonna tell Rowan how unprofessional I was, and my career would be over before it started.

"I want her heading the new antiquity team. She's got the skills we need, and I'm personally recommending her."

My jaw dropped to the floor in shock.

"Done," Rowan said without even hesitating. "If you vouch for her, that's good enough for me. Miss Marco, email me your resume tomorrow. When can you start?"

I kept opening and closing my mouth like a fish. "Are you... are you being serious right now?"

Rowan laughed. "Absolutely."

"Thank you very much sir. I don't even know what to say."

"Thank Ethan. He's our biggest investor. We do whatever he asks and you came highly recommended by him."

Biggest investor. That explained everything.

Ethan Drayes wasn't just rich. He was stupidly rich and extremely powerful too.

Could change your entire life in the snap of a finger.

"I'll let you two work out the details," Rowan said, slapping Ethan on the back. "Miss Marco, looking forward to working with you."

Just like that, he was gone. Leaving me standing there with the guy who'd just saved my career

"I don't get it," I said. "Why help me? After I was so rude to you?"

He gazed at me with intense focus that made my knees wobble.

"I didn't do it free. I need you."

I froze. "Excuse me?"

"For your brain, Miss Marco. Don't get ideas."

My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

He glanced around, lowering his voice. "Can we talk somewhere private?"

How could I refuse the most powerful person here?

I followed him through French doors onto a private balcony overlooking the glittering city.

The view was breathtaking, twinkling lights stretched endlessly like fallen stars.

But I barely noticed. All my attention focused on the man beside me.

"You said you needed me. For what exactly?"

He turned slowly. "I need you to study an ancient pendant. You're the first person to correctly interpret it in centuries."

I hesitated. "Ok. I'll do my best studying it."

He chuckled darkly. "You'll do more than that. There's a clause."

I should have known. Nothing came free with men like him.

"What clause?"

"You'll stay exclusively with me for thirty days!"

I gasped. Thirty days with this billionaire stranger?

"Thirty days? With you?"

He arched a brow. "Is that a problem?"

Yes. Absolutely. I barely knew him apart from the fact that he was filthy rich and intimidatingly powerful.

"I can't just pack up and move into some mansion with a stranger."

"Miss Marco, I know this is sudden. But if you agree..." He pulled out a folded paper. "You'll receive generous compensation."

My hands trembled unfolding the document. A contract. And there it was:

$1,000,000.

One million f*****g dollars.

"For thirty days' work?" I choked.

He smiled. "I'll give you another million once the work is completed."

My brain just shut down. Two million dollars.

I'd never see that kind of money in my entire life.

Even if I worked at Hillcrest for years, I could never earn that much. He was offering two million for one project.

It would cover Dad's medical bills, pay rent for years, heck buy an apartment even.

"If you need time to think..."

"No!" I practically yelled. "I'll do it."

His whole face lit up with this smile that was so gorgeous I felt my heart skip a bit.

"Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me."

"But what would I actually be doing for thirty days?"

"Research mostly. Maybe some travel."

"But why spend so much money on this?" I asked.

He paused, and something raw flickered in his eyes.

"I'm looking for someone, and this pendant is the only clue I have to find her."

"Someone you love?"

The silence went on so long I thought he wasn't going to answer.

"Someone I lost."

The pain in his voice hit me right in the chest.

Whoever he was looking for clearly meant everything to him.

"I'll get the contracts drawn up. You'll have two days to get ready. My driver will come get you."

I nodded, even though part of my brain was screaming that this was completely insane.

I couldn't believe I was agreeing to live with a total stranger for thirty days.

But again, for two million dollars?

What could possibly go wrong in thirty days?